1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric and/or electro-optic cable, and in particular to an advanced low-dielectric cable and connector system for use in a wide variety of applications from electro-optic micro fibers to telecommunications, computer, data transmission, audio, robotics, aerospace, marine and high voltage power cable. The novelties of this invention provide a wealth of benefits to all such cable types and their associated applications from both electromagnetic and mechanical perspectives.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although this invention pertains to electric and electro-optic cable in general, it was developed as an advanced, low dielectric, extremely efficient audio cable and connector system for use in connecting electronic components in high fidelity applications.
The sophistication and overall quality of audio cable technology has progressed rapidly over the past twenty years and now stands as a dominant specialty of serious audio technology. Although the impact of audio cable on the overall quality of an audio system has been recognized since the inception of electronic high-fidelity equipment, the development of specialized audio cable for serious high-fidelity applications begin in the 1970's. Pioneered by Robert Fulton early audiophile cables improved sound quality by focusing on the materials used in the cable. The use of copper as a conductor and stranded wire are examples of such developments. Concentric conductor cables have long been used for transmission of sound and include dielectric washers between the concentric conductors made of rubber or glass as in U.S. Pat. No. 1,818,027 to Affel, et al. Helical polymer spacers have been used between olefin polymers to separate conductive layers as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,455 to Mildner. Fulton was one of the first to address the issue of frequency dependent signal timing by developing cable of specific lengths. This concern was further addressed by Brisson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,023) and Magnan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,890). Different sized conductors within a single cable have also been developed as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,151.
Subsequent developments in insulation material have significantly improved the quality of audio. Ordinary air, of course, has a highly desirable dielectric factor of 1.0. Teflon, with a dielectric factor of 2.1-2.3, became the industry standard in the 1980's. Developments regarding wire placement wrapping and coiling along with improvements in raw materials, such as oxygen-free copper (OFC) and high-purity silver (FPS) resulted in even better audio cable quality. As the sophistication of audio cable increased, the steps taken to address electromagnetic parameters associated with musical reproduction became more and more complex, such as the incorporation of resistors and capacitors into the cable itself.
However, all prior art high-fidelity cables are generally comprised of conductors insulated with a continuous segment of a hard material such as teflon, polystyrene, or polypropylene. The dielectric properties of these hard materials significantly restrict the natural flow of electrons and lack the dampening capabilities of the resonances associated with the natural vibrations of the signal conductors. As a result, the nuances of these vibrations smear, exaggerate and/or mask the delicate inner detail of the signal thus depriving the listener of the full sonic integrity and naturalness of the auditory experience being reproduced. Furthermore, although prior art cables have altered the electrical signal by modifying resistive, capacitive and inductive properties of the conductors and insulators, no prior art has used the natural electromagnetic forces inherent in such cable to actively reduce signal resonances.
Cables in the prior art have a much higher inductive reactance electromagnetic effect, selectively holding back current flow, and causing somewhat of a blurring (delay effect) of the sound. A significant part of this problem is from a much greater electron seepage through the insulator on cables in the prior art due to its higher dielectric factor.
To address these problems, the present invention uses an insulation material and overall structural design unique and novel to audio cable. The insulation material employed in this invention is balsa wood which has a very low dielectric factor of (1.4) which in itself causes very little electron seepage, through the balsa wood insulator, between the anode and cathode. This lack of seepage helps to lower the resistance. In addition, the dielectric factor is significantly lowered beyond the (1.4) dielectric factor due to the novel, very narrow line-contact of the conductor strands, with the balsa wood insulators. Although the wire conductors of the present invention are continuous for the entire length of the cable, the balsa insulation materials are arranged in a series of integral pieces, termed vertebrae, that are of equal length with air gaps between each one, thus providing: a means of breaking up any remaining resonances, cable mechanical flexibility, and a further reduction in the overall dielectric factor. Durr (U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,474) utilized wood pulp as a dielectric but it was a liquefied pulp material that fully enclosed the conductors. Thus, the overall dielectric factor of Durr is not nearly as low as the balsa vertebrae of the present invention, nor did it have the structural advantages or the low weight.
The mechanical benefits of a vertebrae configuration are a unique property of the present invention and represent a significant and novel technical development in the art. This distinctive vertebrae structure provides for exceptional cable strength, a major design characteristic for power and/or robotics cable. Edleen (U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,492) utilizes longitudinal or circumferential slits on cylindrical pipes that house conducting wire that are enclosed by an outer casing. Although such a structure improves mechanical strength, all conducting and insulating components are continuous for the length of the cable, unlike the present invention which utilizes vertebrae.
To further improve the mechanical strength of the cable, the present invention utilizes a guide wire at the center of the cable which may or may not be electrically active (depending on the application). Utilizing additional guide wires for purely structural and/or structural/electrical purposes at other locations within the cable is another characteristic of the present invention. Barnical-Oettler (U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,022) utilizes a dummy connector but it is enclosed by a soft elastomer material wrapped by an adhesive foil. Thus, any gain in reducing the overall dielectric and smearing effects as found in the present invention are lost. It is the unique combination of mechanical advantages of a vertebrae structure coupled with the electrical advantages of a vertebrae structure composed of a very light, low-dielectric compound in concert with a novel and unique arrangement of conducting and guide wires that results in the exceptional performance, both mechanical and electrical, of the present invention.
Also unique to the structure of the present cable is the placement of the cathode between two axially opposed anodes insulated by the balsa wood vertebrae. The line-contact is also broken up at the end of each vertebrae by air gaps which further lower the dielectric factor.
Collectively, inductive reactance is significantly lowered in the present invention by: the lowering of resistance due to the extremely low dielectric factor of the novel application of the insulator; the very low inductance; the lack of the proximity effect; the lack of the skin effect due to the small diameter of the strands, and the use of multiple strands of wire. This novel collection of unique applications improves the art by allowing the pure signal to pass through the cable unobscured of smearing caused by the higher inductive reactance of prior art cables. Furthermore, the higher the inductive reactance, the greater the tendency to fill in moments of signal silence with delayed sound that causes signal information similar to echoes, or blurring which detracts from the original intended sound or signal.
In addition, the lower inductive reactance results in the lowering of the overall electromagnetic force present within the cable which in return results in much lower internal resonances than in the prior art. The present structure serves to further reduce signal resonances by actively utilizing the electromagnetic forces generated within the cable by the oppositional placement of the cathode and anode.
Furthermore, this novel collection of unique characteristics dramatically improves the art by providing a significant improvement in electrical efficiency. This results in a cable with a very fast response time and low power consumption.